Self-adjusting pipe wrench of a spring impelled trigger actuator type



Dec. 30, 1 2 J. v. LARSON 2,623,428

SELF-ADJUSTING PIPE WRENCH OF A SPRING IMPELLED TRIGGER ACTUATOR TYPE Filed April 9, 1947 iii/A 7 27 12 f \-E/ 'll 7 l I 4 I HI l "Ill,

Whey

Patented Dec. 30, 1952 SELF-ADJUSTING PIPE WRENCH OF A SPRING IMPELLED TRIGGER ACTU- ATOR TYPE John V. Larson, Chicago, 111.

Application April 9, 1947-, Serial No. 740,455

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to hand tools and more particularly to self-adjusting pipe wrenches, although certain features thereof may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

It contemplates more especially the provision of improved hand tools of the pipe wrench type embodying self-closing expedients comprising the subject matter of United States Letters Patents 1,602,620, 1,830,033 and 2,351,821 which have been simplified in their construction to increase the capacity and to substantially reduce the manufacturing costs thereof.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and improve the operation of devices of the general character mentioned.

Another object is to provide improved selfclosing relatively pivotal serrated jaws that cooperate in different positions of relative adjustment to effectively grasp different types of articles.

Still another object is to provide self-closing relatively pivotal jaws having improved spring actuator mounts and movement in assembled relation therewith.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrated embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a pipe wrench embodying features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the pipe wrench shown in Figure 1, viewed from the open jaw side thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side vie in elevation of the jaws with parts thereof broken away and shown in section to clarify the illustration. a Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line IV--IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged edge view in elevation of the jaw structure view to correspond with the showing in Figure 2, parts thereof being broken away and shown in section to illustrate the selfclosing spring assembly.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the fixed jaw showing the extended serrated gripping face thereof.

The structure selected for illustration is not intended to serve as a limitation upon the scope or teachings of the invention, but is merely illustrative thereof. There may be considerable variations and adaptations of all or part of the teachings depending upon the dictates of commercial practice.

' The illustrated embodiment comprises an elongated wrench handle I0 that is forged or cast from an alloy steel composition to present a somewhat tapered manipulating shank. The handle shank I0 has rounded transversely extended integral Webs I I-I 2 formed near the free end thereof to terminate in an enlarged circular boss I3 through which a hole I4 is provided to lighten the construction and afford the hanging support thereof from a suitable vertical wall anchor, such as a nail. The shank I0 tapers slightly to terminate in a fixed or stationary jaw I5 that has an enlarged arcuate surface I 6 provided with serrations 0r teeth I! over the entire gripping surface thereof. The fixed or stationary jaw I5 projects from a somewhat enlarged circular boss I8 formed integral therewith at its jointure with the handle shank I!) to serve as a pivoting expedient for a movable jaw I9. The movable jaw I9 is provided with correspondingly shaped and sized furcated bosses 20, 2| that are complemental to the fixed jaw boss l8 that is received therebetween to freely rotate thereon without any lateral play therein. The fixed jaw boss I8 and the complemental furcated bosses 20, 2| are provided with eccentrically positioned and aligned apertures 22, 23 and 24, respectively, to receive a pivot pin such as a rivet 25 therethrough that can be swaged (Figure 2) at the projecting end 26 thereof (Figure 4) to retain the parts in assembled relation and provide for the pivoting of the movable jaw I9 relative to the fixed jaw I5. The movable jaw I9 has accentuated triangular trigger extensions 21, 28 formed integral with the movable jaw bosses 20, 2| to accommodate the thumb of the user for quickly opening the movable jaw I9 relative to the fixed jaw I 5 to accommodate a round or polygonal pipe or fastener such as a nut therebetween.

It is to be noted that the spaced trigger extensions 21, 28 accommodate the handle I9 therebetween while the movable jaw I 9 is solid in construction and has an extended gripping surface 29 substantially conforming to the extended gripping surface I! of the stationary jaw I 5. The extended gripping surface 29 has a straight serrated rectangular portion 30 to confront and cooperate with the stationary jaw arcuate gripping surface IT, for grasping round pipe or polygonal fasteners such as nuts therebetween. The flat gripping surface 30 of the movable jaw I9 extends rearwardly in the direction of the handle Hi to terminate in a right angular shoulder 3| which extends for a comparatively short distance to merge with another serrated gripping surface 32 that is at an acute angle with the fiat extended pound gripping surfaces 30, 32, provided on the movable jaw I9.

By thumbing the trigger extensions 27, 28 in a clockwise direction (viewed from FigureB) the jaws I5, I9 can be readily opened to accommodate the work that is to be turned therewith. By

thumbing the triggers 2?, 28 in a counter=clocke wise direction (viewed from Figure 3), increased pressurecan be impartedjto the pipe or nut which being grasped between jaws Hi, It? toincrease.

the gripping action thereon, under extreme conditionsto initiate the gripping, action and procure more effective results therewith.

In order to render the movable jaw it selfad-justingtoward the stationary jaw I5 to accommodate the work therebetween and to effectively grasp such without requiring theuse of two. hands, a fiat spiral coil spring 3c is confined within an annular recess 35 provided in the face of: the boss 2! of the'movable jaw 59. The fiat spiral coil spring 345 has an enlarged circular extremity 36 formed thereon to serve as a complement of a circular recess 3? drilled or otherwise rovided in the central boss 38 defining the inward-shoulder of the'annular spring receiving recess 35;. The recess 31 is drilled therein proximate: to the periphery thereof to establish oomn unica tion with the annularrecess 35so that the enlarged spring-extremity 36 can rest therein and serve to anchor, the fiat spiral coil sprin 34 which surrounds the central boss 38. The other extremity of the flat spiral coil spring 36 has an enlarged bent extremity 39 that embraces a pin ll'l'l'which is press fitted into a recess 4I provided the boss IB within the region of the. annular recess 35 to serve as an anchor for the outside extremity of the flat spiral coil spring 34. The

pin 40 projects through an elongated arcuate slot 41' providedin the base of the annular recess 35 iii to; permit the rotary oscillation of the movable jaw I9. between the limits of the slot l With this arrangement, the flat spiral coil spring 3,4 will normally urged the movable jaw IFS toward. the stationary jaw ill" to efi'ect their extreme approach within the limit defined by a movable jaw straight edge 52 which will abut against lateral shoulders 53 defined by the web of the extended gripping jaw surface It. As a result, the attendant can thumb the triggersZ-l,

In order to conceal the flat spiral coil spring 34' and preclude any foreign substance from entering the annular reces 35,.a washer or circular plate 45., having an eccentrically disposed pivot pinv receiving aperture 4.6,. is disposed? over the pivot pin 25 (Figure 5) prior toswagingthe plain end 26 thereof (Figure 4). The swaging of the plain pin end 26 confines the cover plate or washer 45 in position for peripheral contact with the boss 2| to serve as a cover for the annular recess 35 with the flat spiral coil spring 34 confined therein. It should be noted that the boss 2| could be readily recessed. or countersunk around the periphery of the, annularrecess 35 to accommodate the washer or plate 45 so that the latter will be flush with the surface of the movable jaw I9 and the triggers 21, 28 after being assembled on the pin 25 for retention of the swaging of theplain pin end 26.

With the arrangement of parts and structural featuresdescribed above, it will be apparent that the compound movable jaw I9 that confronts the compound stationary jaw I5 accommodates both roundand polygonal shapes so that the wrench can be utilized as a conventional pipe wrench as well as a nut turning wrench. This has been. accomplished with a self-adjusting instrumentality which affords single hand manipulation anden? ables eifective turning operations in a. speedy manner Withoutentailing any appreciable time or inconvenience;

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, it must be understood that the invention is capable of considerable variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore; donot wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the p ended claims.

I claim:

l. A hand tool comprising a handle member, a fixedjaw on said handle member, said fixed jaw having a serrated arcuate gripping surface anda serrated" straight surface contiguous therewith, a movable jaw'pivoted to said handle member in confronting relation with said fixed jaw, said movable jaw having a serrated gripping surface to co-operate with said fixed jaw in different positions of relative adjustment therewith, a pivot'pin extending between said fixed and movable jaws, furcatedtrigger extensions formed in tegral with said movable jaw to enable the thumb actuation thereof, spring means for normally urging said movable jaw relative to said fixed jaw, a circular recess in one side of said movable jaw, said recess extending around said pivot pin and being eccentric thereto, said circular recess having an elongated arcuate slot therein, and a spring anchoring pin extending through said elongated arcuate slot and attachedto said han= dle member, said spring meanscomprising a spiral fiat spring in said recess, one end of said spring being-attached to said movable jaw within said recess at a point oifset'from said pivot pin, the other end" of said spring being anchored to said anchoring pin.

2; A hand tool comprising an elongated handle member, a fixed jaw formed on one end of said handle member, said fixed jaw having a serrated arcuat'e gripping surface of greater expanse than the thickness of said handle, and having a serrated straight gripping surface extension of' the same width as the thickness of said handle, a movable jaw pivoted to said handle member to confront said fixed jaw, a pivot pin extending between said fixed and movable jaws, said movablejaw'having compound serrated gripping surfaces to co-operate; with the serrated gripping surfaces of said fixed jaw in different positions of relative; adjustment, spring means for normally urging said movable jaw toward said fixed jaw, a circular recess in one side of said movable jaw, said recess extending around said pivot pin and being eccentric thereto, said circular recess having an elongated arcuate slot therein, and a spring anchoring pin extending through said elongated arcuate slot and attached to said handie member, said spring means comprising a spiral flat spring in said recess, one end of said spring being attached to said movable jaw Within said recess at a point offset from said pivot pin, the other end of said spring being anchored to said anchoring pin.

JOHN V. LARSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 115,678 Barwicl: June 6, 1871 614,255 McChesney Nov. 15, 1898 1,276,596 Vivarttas Aug. 20, 1918 1,337,678 Williams Apr. 20, 1920 1,445,211 Gore Feb. 13, 1923 1,486,981 Magnan Mar. 18, 1924 2,028,406 Mead Jan. 21, 1936 2,351,821

Larson June 120, 1944 

